Patterdale MRT was called twice in one week to rescue motorists from the same mountain pass

A Lake District mountain rescue team has been called to a mountain pass for the second time in less than a week to rescue stranded motorists.

Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called by police to reach a couple who had spent the night in sub-zero temperatures in their car on the Kirkstone Pass, between Patterdale and Windermere.

The rescue followed a similar incident on Tuesday when a couple became stuck on the pass after following their sat-nav directions.

Both couples were from Edinburgh and both were heading for a hotel in Windermere and had passed signs saying the Kirkstone Pass road was blocked.

A spokesperson for the rescue team said: “After getting stuck in deep snow and trying to free the car, it developed an engine problem and the couple were trapped for twelve hours in freezing conditions. They dialled 999 to ask for assistance when daylight broke.”

The team rescued them in their Land Rover ambulance and took them to its base in Patterdale.

The spokesperson from Patterdale MRT said: “With continuing snow and low temperatures, together with high winds causing significant drifts, there is now very deep snow across the roads in the high passes such as Kirkstone.”